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bondolo's defunct tanks

bondolo

bondolo

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Edit: This thread starts with just my 30G frag tank but eventually includes both of my tanks.

I've started building up a 30G frag tank with a tank, sump and stand that I bought on Craigslist. I've divided the tank into two parts with the rear part intended to host mangroves and possibly mudskippers. The front part of the tank will be for coral propagation.

These first shots are mid-plumbing along with the baffle barrier I installed.

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Here's the tank with water in it. So far I've only managed to grow algae as I work on getting the water ready for creature comfort. The evaporation rate is rather high (~1g/36h) so I need add an ATO and/or some plexiglass cover sheets. I have only a tiny 250G/hr pump on it at the moment. I think I need to upgrade this and add a power head for more flow. The light is also going to move once I have the return pump set up correctly.

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Nice FT Mike. I evaparate about a gallon a day on my FT and will be adding a ato down the line also. Any other equipment add ons down the line ?
 
I have a few frags you can plug into the rack when you're ready in time. Turbinaria, pocci, monti that should handle a beating should the need arise ;) LMK.
 
I'd keep that return and just add a powerhead. If you got cash, mp10, if not so much one or two smaller koralias. Looks nice and clean. Enjoy it while that lasts!
 
I'm playing it nice and slow with the frag tank. I don't want to put anything in just to kill it and while I am very interested in DBTC I think it will be quite a while before I am confident to put guest critters into the tank.

Question though: I would like something to put in that's very forgiving and quick growing and make sure that it grows and I can successfully frag it, mount it and see the frags grow before adding anything else. I have been planning to put a chunk of green star polyp, some sand polyps and clove polyps in first (they are what I have that seems most durable). Any other suggestions of good "practice frag" species?

MP10 powerhead looks like the one for me and probably an MP40 for my reef tank. Anybody know of any good deals on the vortechs? Alternate recommendations also welcome. I will probably pick up two Koralias today from my LFS as my primary tank needs much more flow.
 
bondolo said:
Question though: I would like something to put in that's very forgiving and quick growing and make sure that it grows and I can successfully frag it, mount it and see the frags grow before adding anything else. I have been planning to put a chunk of green star polyp, some sand polyps and clove polyps in first (they are what I have that seems most durable). Any other suggestions of good "practice frag" species?
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One no vote on GPS or clove polyps. Unless you plan to make topiary shaped frags and grows the GSP over forms. They grow too fast and the cloves can sprout other places in the tank.

Get some monti, encrusting, plate or digi. Try caulastria too. It will tell you if your mag gets low. Grows PDQ and frags easily. Favia was an easy one for me early on for quick growth and a charm to frag. I got rid of most as it sends sweepers, though I never saw much on my christmas type favia, day or night.
 
I agree with Richard... the cloves & GSP will spread faster than you would like. I have extra orange monti cap that is pretty indestructible. Can bring some to the frag swap for you. Also, I have blue-green candy cane/trumpet coral that is pretty tough... you can have some of that too, if you wish.
 
If you don't want to start with stonies I have some pieces of Green Nepthea, Weird encrusting bluish micro-xenia, and some regular xemia you could have as well, just let me know.
 
Post swap and a montipora eating nudibranch scare I now have corals in the frag tank! I tested the water parameters a couple of times and then real world tested the waters for a few days by putting in a chunk of green star polyp and some snails. They lived so I deemed it safe. Everything seems to be doing quite well.

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In the meantime I also learned that the return pump I have is submersible. Removing the intake tubing I had on it and using a foam prefilter I am getting about twice the volume of water I had been getting. (now about 350Gph). I also installed a Korialia 750gph powerhead which seems to make the corals very happy. The lighting is still suboptimal. I can't move the compact flourescent hood from it's current position because the tank is currently open top and I want to avoid any splashing on the bare bulbs. I think I am going to get a second two tube fixture once I get mangroves in the tank.
 
Mike, have you thought about adding a light hanging bar to your stand? Check out the thread for sfpatentcat's Solana tank journal for an example ... should be able to hang hoods or pendants from such a fixture.
 
99sf said:
Mike, have you thought about adding a light hanging bar to your stand? Check out the thread for sfpatentcat's Solana tank journal for an example ... should be able to hang hoods or pendants from such a fixture.
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+1 I would not want that light to fall in the frag tank.
 
I should soon have a plexiglass sheet over the frags section to make the light a little safer and reduce evaporation. I am probably going to get the plexiglass in two pieces so that I can lift out just one sheet for feeding, improve cooling, etc. Unfortunately getting a better lighting setup for this tank is waaay down on my list of tank items below:

- Eheim 1262 pump (960Gph) which will act as return for both tanks. (Based upon suggestion from plumbstr8)
- finish sump plumbing for 55G tank
- RO/DI + ATO
- Probably Ecotech MP10w or MP40 for 55G tank
- something really expensive I don't even know I need yet. ;-) Probably the skimmer I've avoided buying.

My 55G display tank has an AcquaticLife 4 tube T5 HO fixture that I can suspend from the ceiling that I might move over to the frag tank when it comes time to buy new lights. This would allow me to buy MH or LEDs for the display tank which probably matters more.

I wish someone had warned me how expensive this hobby is and how powerless I would be to not be continually shopping for the next piece of gear. :)
 
sfboarders said:
99sf said:
Mike, have you thought about adding a light hanging bar to your stand? Check out the thread for sfpatentcat's Solana tank journal for an example ... should be able to hang hoods or pendants from such a fixture.
Click to expand...

+1 I would not want that light to fall in the frag tank.
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What they said :) How about hanging one of those LED units that Neptune uses in their front display??? :D
 
I did a cleaning and a water change. I also got plexiglass covers made (with cable/return hose notches cut) and installed. This makes the light a lot safer and cleaner as well as reducing evaporation.

The corals seem really happy with the locale though all are a little cranky today following 5 minute 5:1 peroxide dip (less for the montis and caps). The zoas had been getting smothered in hair algae.
 
Nice clean setup under the stand and the covers look good. I need to buy some sheets for my frag tank. Evaportation is super crazy i add 3 gallons of RO water top off every 2 days.
 
I returned from my 9 days in Switzerland (Geneva Autoshow was awesome) to find that I had a serious outbreak of cyano in my frag tank. This was odd because I hadn't seen any sign of it before, the tank was not fed while I was gone and I did a big carbon and GFO change before my departure. I've spent considerable time since my return scrubbing away the cyano and other algae as well as a peroxide dip for most of the corals. Daily scrapping seems to be keeping the cyano at bay. I've also found a few little aiptasia (yuck) that I am plucking and disposing. I haven't tested or adjusted water parameters since I got back though expect to Sunday night (@lights off on Sundays is when I usually test).

The one thing I do know that changed while I was gone; the windows were closed and the ceiling fan was off. This would have reduced oxygenation and perhaps made things more cyano amenable?
 
After the peroxide dip and some serious cleaning. Still needs a vacuuming and a water change.

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The filter sock is heinously filthy....tomorrow.
 
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